Zero, My Vengeance
by Nemesis Sama
Summary: Is Dr. Wily really evil? Is Dr. Light really good? How far will Dr. Light go for humans and robots to live together? Murder, perhaps? What must Dr. Wily sacrifice to create the most powerful robot? Perhaps good and evil aren't as black and white?
1. Prologue

-1AN: Yes, I'm back with a new story. I'm sad to say that I will probably never finish my last story, A FOUND STAR. I plan I rewriting A LOST STAR one day, though. Anyway, this has been my latest obsession, so I hope ya'll enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own mega man x, or mega man or any characters regarding these two games. Megaman and Megaman X along with all characters and names belong to Capcom!

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It was late December when the wedding bells tolled their song. People gathered into the chapel happy to get out of the snow. The people were happy, as the occasion called for happiness. Is it not good that a young couple should be bonded together in holy matrimony from now until death do them part?

For the young bride, however, something was wrong. She couldn't place it, but everything felt wrong. She should have been overjoyed as she looked at herself wearing her wedding gown in the mirror. She was perfect with her long black hair, contrasting the white Victorian styled dress with the slightly puffy sleeves. Her porcelain white skin blushed with pink rouge and her lips were bright red with lipstick.

But something was wrong, terribly, terribly wrong. Her heart should have been fluttering at the thought of spending the rest of her days with the love of her life; instead it pounded with anxiety. Perhaps it was the way the wedding bells seemed to toll instead of chime, or maybe it was the way the grandfather clock was ticking in the absolute silence.

She new it was supposedly bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony, but she was worried about Albert's health. His lungs were weak, and unless he took his medication he wouldn't be able to breath and if he went on too long….well…..the bride didn't want to think of such things. Would he remember to take it in the excitement of today's events? She would feel better if she saw him…she needed to see him.

The bride-to-be sent her maid of honor away to fetch her groom; then she waited. She waited a little over ten minutes until she finally came back shaking her head in concern.

"He's not here…."

"Did you check upstairs?" she demanded.

"It's just the reception hall?"

"What about the floor above that?"

"Nothing's up there but the attic."

Without an explanation, pulled at the hem of her dress and raced to the attic. Leaving the room she found the winding staircase that would take her the second floor. At the end of the hall she opened the door, which would take her to the attic. Albert was there. She new it.

Half way up another set of winding stairs she began to here voices. One was Albert's, but she couldn't place the other one.

"Don't be foolish, Al." The voice was old, but strong. It didn't sound as if it were accustomed to making threats. "Mankind needs robots."

All of a sudden she heard the tell tale gasps and wheezes which signified another attack. Albert needed his medicine. She hurried up the winding stairs even faster, trying to make it to her Albert. He needed her.

Finally making it to the top, she held on to the railing to catch her breath. She saw her Albert desperately digging around in his coat for his medicine. She knew it was Albert even though there was little light coming from the large stained glass rose window behind him. His long blond hair which he wore in a ponytail gave him away.

Her heart fell as she seen him drop the small bottle on the ground, rolling at the feet of a very large man. Albert dropped to his knees to get the medicine, but the fat man kicked it away. This caused the bride-to-be to dive for it.

"Stop!" she screamed, tears running down her eyes. The old man caught her and threw her small frame towards the suffocating groom. "AHH!" After regaining her balance she quickly got off of Albert and held him in her arms, "You have to stand up, Albert!"

"Ne…..Nemi…" He gasped, barely breathing.

She barely got him on his feet before she saw the man pull out a pistol.

"Why are you doing this?!" she yelled keeping Albert standing up by supporting his arm on her shoulders.

"Because of you, my dear, it seems that Al refuses to see my vision of robots and humans living together in harmony. I won't let either of you stop me."

And just like that, after two shots were fired the happy couple's world was falling around them in shards of glass and snow. And just like that, it ended before it even began.

The crowd gathered around the two bodies whose blood was staining the white snow. The guests from the chapel flooded out the large wooden doors, horrified to see the couple dead at the bottom of the concrete steps.


	2. The Awakening

-1AN: Okay, I know the prologue probably left a lot of you in the dark, so here's chapter 1. Now we can get this story rollin' ! Don't forget to Review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Megaman or Megaman X, they all belong to Capcom!

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Chapter 1: Awakening

"Zero? Zero, breathe. It's okay, just breathe!" the voice ordered.

The robot sat up from the capsule, gasping for his oxygen. Why was this so hard to do? The air was icy around him, and for the first time he was feeling pain. Tears ran down the sides of his face as he finally regained his breath.

"This pathetic robot is supposed to be more powerful than me?" Another voice laughed. It was much younger than the other one, and filled with arrogance.

"Pay no attention to Bass, he's obsolete." The elderly voice told him as he poured a glass of water. "He doesn't understand the pain your in, how can he when he can't feel pain?"

Zero looked at the short old man with the wild hair cut. Zero knew this man, and his tear stained eyes stared at him with caution and fear. He couldn't rebel as his creator lifted one of the robot's hands and curled his fingers around the small glass.

"Drink this, Zero. I'm sure it will make you feel better." he ordered.

Zero tightened his hand around the glass, but his creator kept his hands clasped over his just incase he were to drop it. He drank in large gulps, not really sure how to pace himself, and water missed their destination and spilled down his chin.

"He seems useless." Bass added.

Zero looked over to the black armored robot as he coughed up some water. His creator took the glass away, leaving Zero to wipe his mouth with his wrist. At this, Zero was realizing the difference between his body, and Bass.

For one, Bass's body was covered in titanium armor….Zero's body was covered with what looked like normal human skin. His hair was blonde, and long….very long. It fell off the edge of the capsule and almost reached the floor. He felt the back of his head with his fingers, finding his hair was in a pony-tail. Sliding his hand farther down to the back of his neck he felt a small tinge of pain.

There was a large, thick wire connected to the back of his head. He went farther down his back to find that there were more of these wires connected to his spine. They were at the sides of his arms, at the sides of his legs and his ankles. In his other wrist was a tube feeding his body with some kind of clear fluid.

A white sheet covered him from the waste down, presumably for modesty even though he was wearing a pair of white shorts. Wishing he had something warmer, he pulled the sheet farther up his torso. He eyed the other robot again, wondering why Bass couldn't feel the same cold.

Why was he laughing at him? Didn't he feel this way when he first awoken? Zero wanted to shut him up, but he couldn't leave the capsule. He reached for the wires in the back of his neck, but was stopped by his creator's command.

"Stop that!" his creator ordered. Zero couldn't help but obey.

"I don't need these anymore!" Zero answered, still keeping his eyes on Bass.

"If you want them out, I'll do it, but you shouldn't just rip them out." the old man warned reaching towards the wire at the back of his neck.

Zero heard a click, and felt a sudden jerk. "URGH!" he gritted his teethe, still eying the black armored robot, still waiting to attack.

"What a whiner!" Bass accused staring right back at the blonde robot.

It took several minutes, but eventually it came to an end. The white blanket was stained with little droplets of blood. Examining his body, he could see that his body was left with little black "plug in" like bolts.

Zero didn't care, all he had now was that stupid plastic tube in his wrist. He ripped it out then leaped at the Bass. Bass didn't even see the robot leave the capsule, but in one single blink his neck was being crushed by Wily's new robot and being slammed against the wall.

"Whiner…" Zero chuckled as he pushed him deeper into the lab's wall.

"Zero." Wily sighed, rather calm about the situation, "Put him down. You shouldn't worry about the obsolete."

"Heh, heh." Zero laughed, "Alright."

Zero looked at the black robot, and obediently put the robot on the ground……actually he slammed him into the ground creating even more damaged to the lab.

"Zero!" Wily yelled as Zero kept the black robot pinned down.

Just like that, Zero felt a sudden flash of pain rip through his head. He immediately let go of Bass and put his hand to the side of his head. At first it was annoying but then it quickly became unbearable. Zero fell to his knees screaming in agony.

Once more, Wily was calm about the situation he now felt was under control. He filled a syringe with a thick green fluid before walking over to the collapsed robot, screaming in horrific pain. He placed the syringe in the back of Zero's neck where the wire once was. Zero immediately froze, his eyes wide in fear.

"I told you to leave him alone, Zero." Wily said, slowly pushing the contents through the needle. Zero whimpered at the stinging he felt from the needle's fluid.

"I'm sorry…" Zero whimpered.

"When I built you, Zero, I set out to create the most powerful robot in existence….I succeeded." Wily said, pulling the needle from Zero's neck. Zero didn't dare look up at his creator, "I won't tolerate disobedience.

"Y…yes…." Something was wrong. Zero's world was becoming blurred, "Yes…Master Wi…ly."

He saw movement to his right, knowing that Bass finally decided to pick himself back up. He wasn't hurt too bad, Zero only wanted to scare him. Zero didn't care now….he was dizzy…dizzy and nauseated. He wanted to stand up, but instead collapsed on his side.

"What the hell?" He heard Bass yell.

"Just a side affect, he's fine." Wily told him, "Bass, help me put him back in the capsule."

Bass helped pick up the robot and drag him back over to his capsule, holding him up just enough for Wily to reattach the wires. Afterwards, Bass lied the unconscious robot down and pushed the button to close the capsule. Wily was already at his computers monitoring the new robot's stats. Bass wondered of he spent this much time working on him.

"I'm leaving." Bass said, trying to forget the incident. There was no reply from Dr. Wily. Base merely shrugged and left the laboratory.

Walking down the long hall towards the elevator, Bass couldn't help but remember Zero's screams as Dr Wily inflicted his wrath upon him. Bass almost felt sorry for the poor bastard who was unable to defend himself against his creators "attacks." With a single word, Wily's robots followed his every order.

Though Wily was a screw-up for the most part, Bass admired his creator's uncanny ability to literally know each of his robots inside and out. Wily allowed his robots free will for the most part, but Bass knew that if that mad-man really wanted to he could turn Bass into a mindless robot slave.

Reaching the elevator, Bass shuddered at the thought. Bass prided himself in being his own master. He, and he alone would defeat Mega Man one day. Unfortunately, Wily prevented Bass from doing so. As mentioned earlier, Wily usually let his robots have their free will, but Wily could take it away from them in an instant.

None of this really mattered to Bass right now. His thoughts kept being interrupted by the way Zero could cry and by the way that he expressed pain….no…the way that he could _feel_ pain. All robots could express pain….but it was a simple programmed reaction to being damaged….robots never actually _felt_ pain. Perhaps Wily was right. Perhaps he is obsolete…..but that would make Mega Man obsolete too.

"That's stupid, Bass!" he shouted, slamming his fist against the wall.

It was about then that the elevator beeped and opened its doors. He was in another hallway…..the colors were horrible. The walls were the ugly green color of surgeon scrubs and the tiles were white, and large. Bass was used to these walls, though. Al the robots were.

Walking down to the third room to the right, the door slid open automatically bringing him to a large room. It was essentially a living room for the robots. He found Ice Man sitting close the television watching the news with Skull Man and Quick Man.

"What the hell are you three doing?" Bass asked, leaning against the doorway.

"Shhh!" Ice Man hissed. "Look at this!"

"What is it?" Bass asked, somewhat curious now.

"Former fiancé of the renowned Albert Wily Jr. has finally come out of her year long coma last week," The T.V. reporter began, "Officials say that nineteen….oh sorry….twenty year old Nemi Royale has absolutely no memory of her attacker who nearly killed, both, her and her fiancé.

"Unfortunately police investigators still have absolutely no lead on the missing Albert Wily Jr. himself since he went missing from the hospital only a few hours after the incident. He is presumed dead."

"Nemi Royale woke up from her coma?" Bass asked, raising and eyebrow, "Still no clue as to what actually happened…..oh well….it was over a year ago. They can't except her to wake up and know ALL the answers."

Bass never met Nemi or Dr. Wily's 23 year old son, Al. Bass only knew that 25 years ago, Dr Wily married a young woman and they had a single son together. The wife died of cancer 10 years ago and one year later, Dr. Wily went insane.

Al worked for Dr. Thomas Light, and like his father, had a talent for science and robotics. Though, Bass could have sworn that he heard rumors that his priority of Biology and Genetic study rather than robotics. He himself was born with very weak body….it was a miracle that he didn't die on impact when he hit the ground…let alone he was shot…..though doctors did say that both shots were poorly aimed.

Bass shrugged. The only reason he knew of Nemi's existence was because shortly after the "accident" Dr. Wily locked himself up in the lab and began his work on this new robot.

"Does Wily know?" Ice Man asked.

"Know what?" Bass asked.

About then a picture of the ex-fiancé was shown on the television screen. She was pretty, but not remarkably beautiful. She had black hair, pale white skin, and dark brown eyes that almost looked red. She looked happy though, at least Bass thought.

"That Miss Nemi woke up." Ice Man said pointing to the television.

As if on cue, the doors slid open and Dr. Wily arrived dressed in a black suit. He didn't seem to have the same crazy look that he always had in his eye, instead he looked….normal.

"I'm going to hospital to pick someone up." he said, turning to Bass. "No one is to enter the lab, and for the sake of everything that is good and descent will you robots clean something up in here?"

And with that he turned around and left, leaving four blank stares eyeing the door as if it were about to explode.

"Well…." Skull Man began, "I guess he knows."

Bass ran out the door and caught up to Dr. Wily who pretended to ignore him. Bass was tired of this old man's attitude and quickly put himself between Dr. Wily and the door.

"You don't think they'll actually let YOU sign the release papers, do you? You can't just waltz up to the hospital and bring her here."

"On the contrary, I was just notified by the police themselves that she was ready to be released." Wily said in a matter of fact. "I've done my time and haven't caused any public disturbances in over a year, Bass. I not only played by the government's rules, I've even donated to that hospital which was started by my supposed arch nemesis, Dr. Light. Keeping people alive can be very expensive, who do you think has been funding it?"

"…." Bass had nothing to say. Why should he care anyway? Bass let the Doctor walk passed him with no complaints. Bass in turn walked back to the living room. He doubted he would see much of Nemi, however, so he shouldn't let her bother him.

Above the robots' quarters was the family mansion. He supposed she would live up their, being tended to by the new hired servants…..Bass smiled…..he had wondered why Wily had hired them in the first place. Now he knew why.


	3. Welcome Home

AN: Okay, chapter 2 is up! Huzzah! Yeah, it starts off a little depressing, but bare with me it will get lighter later. Anyway, please review. Do you like it? Do you dislike it? Should I have done something different? Let me know your opinion.

Disclaimer: I do not own mega man or mega man x. It all belongs to capcom!

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"I'm sorry to bother you, Miss Royale." Dr. Light began as he entered the hospital room.

All dressed to leave with her thick black hair thrown in a loose ponytail over her shoulder, Nemi sat in a chair next to the window. It was hard to believe it had been one year since she had last opened her eyes, after all, it had only seemed like a single nights sleep.

But all her thoughts were interrupted, when the famous Dr. Light entered her room. She knew him fairly well, after all, he and Al had worked together….or rather Al was employed by him. He was a kind and gentle man, and Nemi felt better now that she had seen a familiar face.

"It's no bother," She smiled, turning her gaze from the city streets to her new company. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm glad to see you well, Miss Royale….but there is something I do need to ask of you." Dr. Light said, sitting down in a chair on the opposite wall.

"What is it?" Nemi asked, rather confused and a little agitated. She had been answering questions all week. It was bad enough that Al was….Al……

"I know things have been hard, and things have been a little crazy. But this really cannot wait."

"Yes?" Nemi wanted to get the investigation over with. She had all her answers planned out: No, she did not know who the killer was, and no, she wouldn't know who would kidnap her fiancé in his critical condition or where he might be if he were still alive.

"You see, Al kept a sort of…well…a journal." He started, using his hand to measure out the exact dimensions of it, "It was about this thick and I believe a lot of it is about his research."

"Research?" Nemi asked, "Al never really talked about his research. All I know is that he wanted to somehow use robots to help improve human life."

"Yes…but in a more personal way…."

"What do you mean?"

"You see, Al was working on…medical robotics. What I mean to say is, robotic hearts, lungs, arms, legs…..robotics that wouldn't have to be replaced, that would fit in seamlessly with human DNA."

"That's impossible." Nemi laughed, "If he was working on that, then his body wouldn't have been so weak."

"That's what I thought too, but…."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you." Nemi interrupted, "But I wouldn't know where that journal is. I've never even seen it."

"Ah…." Dr. Light sighed, "I see." Nemi watched as he rose from his seat, "But if you find anything….let me know. I really wouldn't want that journal in the wrong hands."

"I will." Nemi said, though doubting the existence of such a bizarre thing.

Nemi watched him leave, then turned back to her window. It was like walking in a dream. She was to be married on Sunday…..but it only felt like Monday. In reality it was Wednesday of the following year. Was Al really gone?

Al….

"You should get some sleep." She remembered him always telling her when she would stay the entire night watching over him.

"I can't." She would tell him, replacing the cool cloth over his forehead, "Not until your fever is down."

Something it would never go down, sometimes he could stop breathing. Regardless…she never left his side……

About a half an hour passed by until she heard another knock on the door. She turned, thinking it would be just another reporter, or perhaps a doctor. Needless to say the door opened just enough for an elderly man to slip through.

She knew this man….though he had changed so much. Looking closer, it was obvious who it was.

"Dr. Wily!?" She gasped.

"Hello, Nemi." He smiled. It was true that she had been expecting him but he seemed so…so different. He was always eccentric, almost as if he were hyped up on caffeine and working on some new experiment….but now he seemed calm….almost tired. "Are you ready to go?"

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"I apologize for causing you trouble." Nemi said, sitting in the passenger seat of Dr. Wily's black Mercedes. Nemi had almost completely forgotten about the Wily family's wealth. It was inherited and Wily's wife had also came from a well-to-do family, but Dr. Wily seemed to always spend it on robotics and computers…..it seemed that he was trying to live a normal life now.

"It's no trouble at all." Wily answered, "I only apologize that you'll have that enormous house to yourself and the hired help."

"You don't live there anymore?"

"I do." Wily answered, "I just spend my time in the lower levels…in my lab."

Nemi smiled, glad that he hadn't changed too much. "Does this mean I can have my job back?" she asked.

Wily chuckled, "My dear, there are already plenty of maids in the house."

"But none can clean like I can." Nemi answered, matter-of-factly. Grimly she noted that she had to be extra clean around Albert. He had a poor immune system and it seemed like he could catch any little bug in the air.

"I know…..but then who would live in it until my other son arrives?" He asked.

Wait, wait, wait! Hold it! Nemi looked at Dr. Wily with the most confused expression she could twist her face into.

"O…Oth…Other son?" Nemi asked.

"Yes….I invited him to stay in it…." He answered, "…Oh that's right. You've never met him."

"Al….Al never mentioned-"

"There was no reason to mention him….he and Al….can't exist at the same time." Dr. Wily explained.

"You mean they didn't get along?" Nemi asked.

"What? Oh…oh yes, that's what I mean. They couldn't get a long." Dr. Wily agreed.

Nemi noticed that they were pulling up to the old house. It was a beautiful gated house with two stories, a court yard, a garden, and of course two underground levels. With a sigh of relief, she felt like she was home.

Upon entering the two large wooden doors she marveled at the double staircase in the foyer leading up to the second floor. Straight ahead was another set of double doors which led to the dining room. The left door was a little doorway that led down a long hall. This would take you to the laboratories, and the right door was a living room.

She spent a good part of her life here, being employed by the Wily Family when she was fifteen….this is, of course, how she met Al. Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed Dr. Wily heading to the left door.

"You're leaving already?" She asked.

"I had them already prepare a room for you. It's the third bedroom on the right."

"That one?!" she gasped, remembering that one to be the master bedroom…..it was a hell of a lot to clean.

"I don't use it, and I think Maria would have liked you to have it. She always talked about giving you and Al this house anyway." With that final note he disappeared behind the small wooden door.

Nemi turned her attention back up to the stairs, not sure if she really wanted to be here anymore. She would have preferred her old room back, but she supposed she should be grateful. She never spent many nights in her own bedroom anyway. She was too busy watching over Al, when he was ill.

"Should I show you to your room?"

"AH!" Nemi jumped, turning around to see the most adorable person she had ever seen in her life.

She was taller than Nemi was, with long brown hair held in a tight bun, and the biggest blue eyes she had ever seen. She couldn't have been much older than Nemi was. She wore a very modest black dress reaching down her ankles with a white apron across her waste. Nemi thought she almost looked Amish.

"Uh….no thank you?" Nemi said, "Um, I'm Nemi Royale by the way."

"And my name is Genevieve!" She smiled, "But you can just call me Genie."

"Nice to meet you." Nemi said, her eyes rolling to Genie's feet to see Nemi's own bags.

"I took the liberty of collecting them, do you need any help?"

"Uh…..um…."

While Nemi was busy with the eager-to-please Genevieve, Wily was heading down the elevator. He felt a little guilty, this experiment he was about to perform could be considered a little unethical, but he needed to test what Zero was really capable of.

He passed the hall and went down the second elevator. Soon he was in his familiar lab where he felt safe and secure….especially now that he had a new killing machine in the capsule in the center of the room. Wily crossed the room to sit at his massive computer. By merely pressing a few buttons, the capsule opened, and Zero began to stir.

Opening his eyes, Zero sat up, not being able to leave the capsule completely do to the wires. He didn't make eye contact with his creator, instead he continued to look at his own feet….not that there was anything particularly interesting about them, he was just afraid that Wily was still upset. He made a mental note, not to piss him off anymore.

"Zero," Wily began, "look at me."

Zero obediently turned his head, wondering what his master wanted from him now. He couldn't have done anything else wrong as he had been asleep.

"Above us is a mansion. It has belonged in my family for several generations. When my wife was alive we had a son, but he was very ill. Last year he was about to get married to one of our former employees, but as fate would have it they were attacked. My son is presumed dead, and she herself just woke up from a year long coma."

"What does this have to do with me?" Zero asked.

"Zero, I built you with every capability of a human and more." He began, "She's expecting my other son to show up any day now, or at least that's what I told her. It wasn't technically a lie." he began to chuckle, "I created you, therefore in a sense, you are indeed my son."

"…."

"Anyway, she needs comfort and a companion." Wily began.

"You want me to give that to her?" Zero asked, not exactly happy about the task. "Why?"

"Humans need it after suffering a loss as great as hers."

"He was your son….who gave you comfort?" Zero asked, honestly curios.

"My lab…."

That answer made absolutely not sense to the blonde robot, as he didn't think a lab was an actual person. He would have to ask him about this later as now didn't seem to be the right time.

"Now, Zero." Wily began again, "She must never know you're a robot-"

"What?" He interrupted.

"Let me finish." Wily warned, Zero immediately turned his gaze to his feet again. He took another note not to interupt Wily again.

"Sorry." Zero apologized.

"Don't let her know that you're a robot," Wily warned, "Until you can trust her with that information."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll know when the time comes." Wily assured him.

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After finally getting rid of Genie, Nemi plopped herself on the massive king sized bed. Throughout the week she hadn't been given a chance to rest or to stop and collect her thoughts. Everything was a blur.

She woke up, they told her she had been in a coma for one year and that her fiancé was dead….Gee, good morning to you too! Why did she have to wake up. She could have lived her life in a dream, and she would never have to know that Al was dead…..

Immediately, tears began to run down her face.

"Why couldn't I have died. I was shot and fell from three stories! Why the hell am I alive?" Nemi cried, burying her face in the pillows. "And now I'm alone….all alone in the big house with no one but a caffeinated maid to keep me company!"

Not that she didn't appreciate Dr. Wily for all that he's done for her, but…..this house was a bit big. Ever corner reminded her of the past. Everything!

She curled up on top of the sheets and cried…cried for all the days she wasn't allowed to cry, and cried for all the time that she wouldn't be allowed to cry. She cried until she cried herself asleep.


	4. Ghosts in the Living Room

-1AN: Sorry it took so long to spit this chapter out. Anyway, I hope you and joy. Don't forget to review.

Disclaimer: I do not own MegaMan X or MegaMan all things related to said titles belong to Capcom.

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It was the next morning, and Nemi finally decided she would leave the safety of her luxurious bedroom. She, after all, didn't have a refrigerator, just a bathroom. Therefore she would have to venture out into the world, and hope that Genie was no where around.

She had gotten to the end of the hallway……and then there was Genie.

"Good morning, Miss Nemi!" her hair was now in pigtails, and they bounced merrily at the side of her head as she walked up the carpeted, three stepped stairs that led to the foyer.

Nemi always thought those three steps were weird, but she assumed it was a cover up for an architectural error. With a sigh, and a little embarrassed of being in the same clothes she wore yesterday she wanted to say "what's the hell is so good about it?" But this wasn't in her nature.

Nemi mustered the best smile she could and said, "Good morning, Genie."

Nemi kept walking towards the foyer, now brightly lit with a chandelier adorning the ceiling. She walked down the crimson carpeted steps with Genie following her the entire way. Nemi wanted to snip those annoyingly bouncy pigtails.

"Breakfast is waiting for you in the dining room." Genie told her as Nemi reached the floor.

"I'll fix something in the kitchen." Nemi said.

"Ohhhh, but it's pancakes, bacon, and eggs." Genie moaned, "Would you prefer waffles?"

As she reached the door, Nemi slowly turned around with a look of utter frustration, "Genie, I don't mean to be rude," She said, "But I kind of want to be left alone….you know with waking up from a year long coma and finding out my fiancé was dead and all."

"Oh…..yeah." Genie said, taking a few steps back, "I'm sorry. I just-"

"Good day, Genie." Nemi said before opening the two tall wooden doors.

"Um, Miss Nemi?" Genie asked, timidly.

"What is it?"

"Um, Mr. Zero will be here shortly….what do you want me to do?"

"Who's he?" Nemi asked, turning around and raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, Dr. Wily's son. He didn't tell you he'd be arriving?" Genie asked.

Putting her hand to her forehead, she began messaging her temple, "Oh, shit. Excuse my French……I'm too tired to meet with anybody today. I thought he was coming later?"

"Dr. Wily said he received news of an early arrival."

"Fine." Nemi said with defeat, "Forget breakfast, I'm going upstairs to take a shower."

"And when he gets here?"

"I dunno….offer him breakfast." Nemi replied, walking past Genie and up the stairs.

"Yes, ma'am." Genie called, as Nemi was already at the top of the stair case.

Poor Genie…..all she wanted to do was help take Miss Nemi's mind off of her ordeal. Perhaps being too happy was the wrong way of doing it. Oh well, she should try again later.

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"She's pleasing to look at." Zero said, looking at the pictures on a table in the living room. He was wearing a black suit and red tie, and didn't appreciate the lack of movement it allowed.

"Um….I guess so." Genie said, looking at the guest curiously. He looked so much like his brother, or at least he did from what Genie could gathered from the photos. Except Zero's hair was long. She wondered how long it took to wash it.

"This was my brother's fiancé?" Zero asked picking up the frame, "She's a bit young."

"Uh….that's an older picture, from what I've been told. She's twenty now." Genie told him, taking the picture away. She was a bit creeped out by his sudden fascination. "Um, would you like me to call for Dr. Wily?"

"If my father isn't already here, I don't think he wants to be bothered" Zero answered.

"Um, I'm sure he'll make an exception for his son."

"No he won't." Zero told her walking over to the black leather couch. He put his feet up on the wooden coffee table and leaned back, "So where is this Nemi Royale?"

"She's not too fond of guests at the moment, sir." Genie said, pushing his feet off the table and scrubbing it with a cloth from her apron.

"Why not?" Zero asked with a look of confusion.

"Well, I don't know if you realize this, but she's sort of been through a lot." Genie told him, rather annoyed at his rudeness. "Her fiancé did die and all….you know….your BROTHER!"

Zero still eyed her curiously, somewhat innocently, "Are people really that unhappy when other people die?"

Genie looked at him with sheer revulsion. Was this guy for real? She knew that the Wily Family wasn't exactly the friendliest, even the sanest people in the world…..but still!

Zero saw the look on her face and just as innocently as before he asked, "What is it?"

"N…Nevermind." Genie said, shaking her head in defeat. There was no use agreeing with him. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"Like what?"

"A drink? Something to eat, perhaps?"

"…Well…..water, I guess." Zero said. Water, after all is the only drink he knew of.

"I'll be right back." Genie said, leaving the room through a dark wooden door.

When she left, Zero took a moment to look around. It was a large room with a flat screen TV at one end and the couch was in the middle. To the right of the couch was a lounge chair, as well as on the left. The walls were dark and seemed to be made of wood. At least, the walls were covered in wooden shelves.

They were covered in books and dust. Some had photos, but so did the end table. He noticed that the lighting was very poor, but he supposed that was better for watching TV anyway.

Not interested in TV, Zero stood up and decided to look at the books. One particular book caught Zero's eyes. It was a small paper-back that appeared to be fiction. The title read: _Beauty and the Beast._

****************

Nemi stood in front of the bathroom mirror, finally clean and well dressed for company. She wore a plain, but very nice, red dress which went to her knees. It fitted her petite body perfectly though she would have gladly of traded it for pajamas and a big bucket of ice cream…..and to be locked up in her bedroom where she would spend the rest of her life writing bad poetry.

Unfortunately life wasn't fair and she had no choice but to step outside into the world, into the great beyond……..couldn't she just go back to sleep instead? She preferred a coma, but a few hours would be nice too.

Regardless, she took a deep breath and exited the bathroom. Step two was to cross the bedroom floor and reach the door. She was doing great thus far. In fact it was quite easy. Even as she went into the foyer, there was no sign of any guests, anywhere, not even Genie.

Now if she could just sneak off into the living room.

As quiet as the mouse, and mouse-like she really was, she crept over to the living room door and opened it…..now this she was not prepared for. It's not every day that in the very center of a living room, you actually see a real dead ghost reading a book and sipping on some water.

"AL!" She gasped.

"Huh?" the ghost looked up just in time to see a crazy girl drop to the floor. "Um….are you okay?" it asked putting down the book and glass on the table and standing to his feet. He craned his neck over the couch to see her lying motionless on the gray carpeted floor. "Um……uh oh."

He ran around the lounge chair and bent to try to shake her awake. His father hadn't prepared him for this, what the hell was he going to do now? He picked her up in a cradle and carried her over to the couch where he gently put her down.

"Um…..uhhhh." He was frantically looking around to see if there was any possible way he could wake her up. Finally he spotted his glass of water, and though tempted to splash the entire thing in her face, he dipped his fingers in the glass and flicked the water on her instead.

"Urghh." She moaned, moving her head from side to side. The apparent ghost's technique seemed to be working so he continued steps one and two repeatedly until she opened her eyes….."AAAAHHHH" She screamed as the "ghost" came into her view…..maybe he should have just left her unconscious.

"SHHHH" he hissed, not wanting Genie to come busting in the door in a panic. "It's ok, it's ok. You just fainted."

"Al….Albert?" She asked, looking at the ghost up and down.

"Albert?" he asked, looking puzzled, "No I'm Zero."

"Ze..Zero?" now Nemi was confused, "Who are…..oohh." then she remembered, "You must be Al's brother."

"Y…yeah." Zero said looking at her as if she could explode…..and Zero didn't doubt it either.

"Oh, God!" She said trying to hide her blushing face in her palms of her hands, "I'm so sorry, I just didn't expect you two to look so much a like." Looking up again, "Mr. Zero you must forgive me, I've been through a lot-"

"It's okay, it's okay." He said trying to calm her down, "I know…..I know….actually I don't know. We look that much a like?"

"Yeah…..I can't believe it. It's almost creepy. Are you two twins? Dr. Wily didn't say much about you….I must be honest, I didn't even know you existed."

_I didn't exist. _Or at least that's what Zero wanted to say, but he kept that part to himself. "That's okay, we didn't talk much."

"Why not?" Nemi asked, "You you don't mind."

"Oh, well there was no reason to."

"No reason to talk?" Nemi eyed him suspiciously.

"Yes…." Zero said, "No reason to." _Once again, I didn't exist._

"Okay, I can settle with that….at least for now." Nemi said standing up from the couch.

"Um, are you okay?" Zero asked, getting ready for her to fall again.

"Yeah, you just scared me that's all. I've been through a lot this week." Nemi told him.

"Oh yeah……he was your fiancé, wasn't he? The maid said you were upset about it." Zero sighed.

"Well…yeah." Nemi said, eyeing him strangely.

"I understand why!" Zero lied as he waved his hands in defense.

"Okay." Nemi said, but decided to drop it.

"May I ask you something?" Zero asked as Nemi sat down in the lounge chair to his left.

"Yes?"

"What made you care about my brother that strongly?"

"I know that you and your brother must have had your differences, but he was very kind and gentle to me." She tucked her legs underneath her, "He made me feel needed…..and wanted."

"Wanted?" Zero asked.

"Yes…wanted." Nemi said, "When my parents passed away, my family didn't want me. I was just another expense and a mouth to feed. So I got a job here doing what Genie is now….As you know, Albert was always ill. I took care of him during those times. I felt useful.

"I see…" Zero said, _So humans also want to feel useful?_

_"_Was Albert useful?" Zero asked.

"What do you mean?" Nemi asked cautiously.

"Albert was very weak…..was he still useful?"

"……I….I don't understand." Nemi said, "Albert had a brilliant mind for science! You must have known that."

"Yes, I did. But what did he do with it?"

"Well he….he….he worked with Dr. Light."

"Doing what?"

"…….I don't know! But how could you even ask that about your own brother?" Nemi said, rather appalled.

"You misunderstand." Zero told her, "I merely wanted to know if he was happy. You said it made you happy to be useful….Was Albert happy?"

"….I believe so. I meant everything to me." Nemi said standing up from the couch. "I'm sorry…I have to go upstairs."

"Um…Okay." Zero watched as she exited the room, wondering if he had asked the wrong thing. Why were humans so sensitive? Would Zero be that sensitive one day? Zero shuddered at the thought.

He returned to his book, _Beauty and the Beast. _The artwork was interesting, and the story fascinating. Humans had interesting imaginations, and it was a new exciting experience to exercise his own. The story was very unlikely, but he supposed that was why it was called "fiction."


End file.
